Three successive birdies late in her round kept Beth Coulter’s hopes alive at the Flogas Irish Women’s and Girls Amateur Open Championship as Scotland’s Lorna McClymont shot a new course record.
Birdies on fifteen, sixteen and seventeen saw Coulter sign for a three-under 70 to hit the -10 mark but she will enter Sunday’s finale three shy of McClymont after she scot powered around in a record 67 strokes thanks to a sensational finish of her own.
It’s been late birdie barrages that have kept Kirkistown Castle’s Coulter within striking distance on both days having played the first 24 holes around Woodbrook in just four-under but she is an impressive six-under-par for the final twelve holes of the golf course.
“It was another slow day I was a bit sloppy in the middle but I got it going around the middle around the 13th or 14th I made a few birdies and hit a few good shots and held the putts which was nice,” said Coulter who is playing her first event on home soil since arriving home from the States.
It took a while for the putter to get going for the teenager who found herself just one-under after 12 holes following birdies on 4 and 5 and a bogey on 11 before that late surge kept her in McClymont’s rearview mirror.
“I left a lot of birdie putts short in the first twelve holes and then I drove it into the rough a couple of times and the rough is very thick on some holes especially the par fives so I wasn’t really able to go for the greens in two but yeah it was nice to have a couple of birdies at the end and give me some momentum heading into tomorrow.
“It was important that I had as many birdies as possible coming in to try and close the gap a little but yeah I will work on my pace putting in practice which hopefully will help me going into tomorrow.”
Defending champion McClymont is the clear favourite to make it back-to-back Irish Open titles this weekend after the Scot cruised to a course-record 67 to climb to -13.
The Milngavie woman was two-under through twelve holes before she made mince meat of the three par fives in a row on the back nine.
An eagle on 14 was followed by three successive birdies as she pulled three clear of Coulter.
“It was a good day, the weather is good again so there were plenty of chances out there.
“It was a slow start so it was nice to do that. It’s good to have Beth with me to bring me on, yeah it’s good.
“It’s nice to be out early in the morning and have the afternoon to chill. It’s good to be in front had a bit of pressure having won last year but I’ve been good.”
The pair shared the lead after day one and will tee off in the final group together on Sunday.
Scoring HERE
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